Thoughtful Gifts from Three Wise Men

Before I begin with today's post let me apologize for being away so long.  My life has been extremely busy lately.  I usually update the posts on Sunday afternoons but my time has been shortened  on Sunday afternoons due to the busy season.  But, here I am and here we are.  Christmas is upon us.  The REAL REASON FOR THIS SEASON. 

Sunday's sermon was a wonderful eye-opening history lesson into the Christmas story.  You have read in recent posts that our pastor, Edd Deaton, encourages us to read every word in our Bible spiritually.  We sometimes get so caught up in just reading the words that we overlook very important and purposeful meaning within the deep corridors of those chosen words.  The Christmas story shared in Matthew 2 should not be read by just skimming the surface.  There is within, some very deep and purposeful meaning behind the events of that night.  Let's dive in! 

We all know that 3 wise men followed the star to Bethlehem and brought with them gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  But do we really know what this part of the story really means?  There is some rich detail here that we must dive deeper into understanding so that we can completely understand the events of this Holy Night.  These wise men didn't have a map.  There were no land marks.  There were no street signs.  They traveled many, many, many miles by foot only following a star.  Now, people I can't even get uptown without my GPS directing me along the way.  These wise men only had a star to follow.  I can't imagine their thoughts along the way.  It makes me wonder if any of them ever questioned, "Are we going the right way?  Did we make a bad turn?  Should I turn around?  Did I miss the turn off?  Did we follow the wrong star?"  They never doubted themselves.  They arrived at the very stable and manger where Jesus lay all by following a star.  I find that event alone truly remarkable.  I couldn't have done it.  Jesus would have been 10 years old by the time I had found him. 

Many know the gifts they brought but many have no clue as to what they are, and many, many more have no clue as to the deep meaning behind each chosen gift.  Out of the three, I would say gold is the most recognizable.  We all know what gold is.  It is a rustfree metal.  It never evaporates no matter how long you boil it.  In fact, the longer you boil it, the more pure and worthy it becomes.  Kind of like us.  We are God's gold.  Sometimes we face the fire where we are molded and shapened.  But the more we go through the stronger we become and the stronger our faith becomes.  We are worth more and made more pure with every trial we go through.  We never become a rusty piece of junk to God.  We are more precious than anything else He created.  See some symbolism?  We are only beginning!

The second gift, frankincense.....anyone know what that is?  Frankincense is a milky white resin extracted from species of the genus Boswellia.  It is extremely fragrant and is used to make incense.  Anyone who has ever burned incense knows that the smoke rises.  Symbolically where do your prayers go?  They rise to the Heavens.  What color do you think of when you hear the word pure?  White!  You have heard it, "He washes you white as snow."  The frankincense symbolizes your forgiveness.  The Boswellia tree also has sparse bunches of paired leaves.  A pair.  You and God.  When your eyes are focused on God alone and all else is aside, that is when you are truly washed white as snow.  When it is just you and He, and you lift up the prayer asking God into your heart, you become as pure and white as snow.  He makes you a new person.  You have a clean slate.  All is forgiven like freshly fallen snow, untarnished and pure.

The third gift, myrrh....I am guessing you also don't know what it is.  Myrrh is a reddish resin that comes from species of the tree genus Commiphora.  The tree can be found in the shallow, rocky soils of Ethiopia, Kenya, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Somalia. It boasts spiny branches with sparse leaves that grow in groups of three, and can reach a height of 9 feet (3 meters).  Where does this tree grow?  On the rock!  Where did God have his church built?  On the rock.  Also if you noticed the leaves grow in groups of three.  What else comes in threes?  Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!  Something else about myrrh....it is drawn by cutting a huge slit in the trunk of the tree and after the trunk is slit with a deep cut, the myrrh begins to ooze out first yellow in tint.  It begins to change color to a deep red as the air sets upon it.  As it oozes out, it does so in tear drop shaped droplets.  The symbolizm is not accidental.  Before blood fell to the ground the day our Savior was placed on that cross, a huge cut was made in his side.  He shed tears for us as His blood fell.  The third gift is a reminder of His gift for you.  He died for you.  He bled for you.  He shed tears for you.

And yet, we make rare appearances to his Birthday party!  We make excuses for why we can't go.  On that night, 3 wise men gave Jesus gifts.  It is our turn now.  The only gift He wants is to have YOU!  It is not accidental that you are reading this.  He knew you would.  There is a reason.  This Christmas take time to reflect upon the REAL meaning behind the events that took place that night.  Read every word spiritually.  Dive in deep to the hidden meaning behind every chosen event.  You might actually receive a gift yourself!  Merry Christmas!

A Window of Hope

Our message comes from Genesis 6:15 - 16.  We all know the stories and facts presented in Genesis from Adam and Eve to Noah's Ark.  Most people know them so well that they just quickly skim the passages and overlook very important and purposefull text.  How many times d you think you would find Jesus in the old testament?  Physically you don't read His name anywhere till you get to the new testament.  BUT...
He is there as much in Genesis as he is in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John!  We often ovelook and read over too quickly the sotry of Noah.  Godtld Noah, "There is nothing but wicked on this Eart of mine.  I want you to build an ark to protect you and the your family and 2 of all the animals I created."  We know this.  We heard this story a thousand times growing up....but did we ever really look at the boat?  The Bible takes time to mention Noah putting a window in the boat.  On this enormous boat, he put only 1 teeny tiny window and guess where it was placed????  Above their heads!!  Would you have only put 1 window in that enormous boat?  But the meaning behind this particular scripture goes deeper than just a simple window. 

Think about it, sadness always looks down.  Lost always looks around.  But hope always looks up.  Where was that window again???  How many times do we stop and examine what we are reading or the purpose of the chosen text.  How many times do we honestly look up when the storms of life are raining down?  When storms roll in we aren't interested in loking at the sights.  God knew this and that is why Noah's instructions were to only put 1 window and it was up, not to the side, and not down.  When God destroyed the world the first time, He showed Noah and us that the only one way to look is up.  When your eyes of your head, life, and spirituality fail to look up you are doomed.  There is no way to succeed and make it i life's storms if you don't look up out that window of hope.

That window was there to remind the people on that boat not to lose hope and to keep looking up.  This window wasn't much of a window either.  It was very, very small.  You've heard the statement, "With any inkling of hope."  Isn't that a very small amount of hope?  That is all it takes.  If you look in Matthew 7, you will find a parallel verse for this particular passage in Genesis.  "Straight is the way and narrow is the gate."  Think about this small and narrow window.  Through that small and narrow window they see God.  That window is a symbol we are to use as a promise storms end only when we look up and follow our eyes through the narrow opening and find Jesus there.  When looking for Jesus in the old testament you have to pay attention to the details.  He is there.  This little window proves this.  Irony of Jesus in the Ark is that the Ark had to go through the storm.  We are the ark.  Just as Noah faced the storm for 40 days and 40 nights, we will also face storms.  Unless you have God to seal you in and protect you and have Faith that He will do so, you are doomed.  Like the ark sealed up, you should be sealed by the blood of Jesus.  Storms will continue to rage around you but is Jesus in place to open your window of hope?

Are You An Accomodating Host?

Today's message comes from 1 Corinthians 6:19 - 20
This is written by Paul.  Paul is telling the church that the 3rd part of the Holy Trinity lies within you.  This verse is often used when people are typically choosing to do things they shouldn't such as smoking, drinking, drugs, etc...

1 Corinthians 6:19 - 20 says:
¹⁹What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  ²⁰For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

If the Holy Ghost truly dwells in your heart, are you being a very accomodaing host?  You are supposed to light up a room when you walk in - people should say you are obviously living with God in you.  It should be radiating out of us.  People know a church is a place of worship upon seeing the  building.  Do people see you as a temple?  Are they able to see God in you by first glance?

Do you live like God would want you to live?  When you rent an apartment or a house, you always want to take care of it so that you don't have to pay that extra fine at the end of your stay.  Technically we are renting our bodies for a while on Earth.  God owns us so we are to take extra good care of our rental property for it isn't ours to mess with.  Maybe you are an overeater, a person whose language leaves less to be desirable, or maybe you are a heavy drinker.  Whatever the problem may be, we all have them.  We can all certainly admit we are not the most accomodating host or renters for that matter. 

The second part of the scripture says that you were bought with a huge price.  God sacrificed a lot to buy you.  Think about this:  When you buy something, don't you value it and want to show it off?  God views you as his.  God is so proud of each and everyone of us even though we make mistakes, he is still proud of us.  Just like you are proud to show off your new clothes or your new car or even your new lawnmower.  That is how proud God is to have you.

Everyone wants to be a part of something.  In John 15:16 we learn that we are a part of something.  God is telling us that we didn't choose Him but He chose us.  God loves you more than anyone else could ever possibly love you. 

Sadly, most of us devalue our purchase price everyday.  Pray, choose your words wisely, have patience, love your neighbor, read the Bible, take care of your rental property.......it isn't yours to begin with!

Launch Out into the Deep

Our message this week came from Luke 5:4-10
⁴Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
 ⁵And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
 ⁶And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
 ⁷And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
 ⁸When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
 ⁹For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
 ¹⁰And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

As Christians, it is very important that we examine this set of scriptures.  Just reading the above scriptures, it sounds like a story of an amazing fishing trip but it is much more than that.  This is a lesson for our daily lives as Christians.  Something happened here that we all need to look at.  We are given so much in these scriptures.  We are given instructions and actions, a reward, and a conviction all within these verses.

The first is:  To launch out into the deep and get ready for your catch. 
If we are going to do what God expects of us, we can't stay in the shallow end of the pool and expect to catch fish.  God tells us to launch out into the deep.  We go to church and ask people to go to church with us but how many of us are really launching out in the deep?  We ask those that we know and rarely even make eye contact with strangers.  All too often we are trying to catch fish in the shallow, comfortable end of the pool.  We can't win people to Christ by playing it safe.  We have to be willing to start conversation and get out of the comfort zone if we are going to truly do what God expects us to do.  I think about a mission trip I went on my junior year in college.  I attended a trip called Beach Reach where college students traveled to Panama City Beach, Florida the week of spring break to witness to kids our own age.  Do you know how hard it is to witness to people your own age?  We were stepping out into the least expected place a Christian would ever think about being.  We walked around in bar parking lots handing out cards inviting these teens to come to our free pancake breakfast where we planned on feeding them and witnessing to them.  We offered free van rides from bar to bar but while they were in our van we would witness to them.  We walked the beach handing out our cards to teens and witnessing to them right there on the beach.  It was scary but rewarding.  Talk about launching out into the deep.  You wouldn't expect to see a bunch of Christians walking around a bar parking lot, but we did all to get God's word out.  This is the type of witnessing we are to be doing.  Many times Christians avoid going to places Christians shouldn't be, but really if we are to do what God tells us, we shouldn't be avoiding those places but going there with the intent to win those people to Christ.  Witness to the lady checking you out at the grocery store, witness to the person trying to sell you a new cell phone in the mall, instead of just inviting your next door neighbor (though you should do that too.)  We are to witness to everyone we meet whether we are comfortable or not.  Jesus tells us to launch out into the deep.  This is an instruction.

The second is:  to be ready "AT HIS WORD"
Whether we are catching anything or not, we ar to act on God's word and not become discouraged.  The scriptures tell us that Simon spoke of toiling all through the night and still not catching anything.  In our case, we may be trying to catch fish but sadly without our nets cast. Often times, we think we know exactly what we are doing and don't want to be told what to do, but are we acting on God's will or are we conforming Him to ours?  Our pride often gets in the way of our ability to witness to others.  If we would just do what God is telling us to do and rely on His word through prayer and faith, we would catch a lot more fish.  As soon as Simon Peter casts that net as God tells him to, he begins to catch so many fish they need more boats.  Wouldn't it be amazing to have so many new believers in Christ that we need to build more churches to accomodate them?  Or make bigger Sunday School rooms to accomodate all the kids?  Are we acting on God's will?  When Simon Peter acted on God's word he needed help with all those fish!  Until we start yelling for help.....we really aren't fishing!

Third:  Look at what happened though....when everyone saw what was happening they were amazed!  From that day on they all went out to the deep to fish.  Think about it.....it only took that happening one time and then it caught on with everyone else.  It only takes one spark to get a fire going.  It only takes one to make a difference.  It is like planting one kernal of corn.....you end up with two ears full of more kernals to plant.  We are to plant and sow seeds so that those people also plant and sow seeds.  A Christian walk is to be like a ripple that spreads out and makes more ripples.  You witness to one person in the deep unexpected location and they will do the same.  One person turns to two, then four, then eight.  And then God smiles.

It's time to launch out into the deep and do some fishin!

All Have Sinned and Fall Short of the Glory of God!

I was blessed today by the children in our church.  I got to lead Children's Church this morning and it was a true blessing.  I probably got more out of the lesson than they did.  If you read this blog often, you will know that usually I recap the sermon each week.  Bro. Edd was away leading revival this week and we had a guest pastor with us today.  However; my heart was still satisfied even though I wasn't sitting in a pew this morning.  My Children's Church lesson came from Matthew 20: 1 - 16.  Many of you may know this to be the parable of the workers.  Funny how, the lesson though written for children to understand, made me reflect on my own attitude and life.  I think sometimes, we adults, need to be like children.  Afterall, we are His children and sometimes He chooses the strangest of ways to speak to us.  And yes, sometimes it is through a lesson meant for a child!

One of the hardest lessons we learn is that sometimes life just doesn't seem fair.  Last week, the post talked about people who we felt die too early.  We hear it all the time, "Why do the good ones always go first?"  We walk around admiring people who live like there is no debt and wonder how they do it.  You've been there.  I know you have.  You've said it....."Life isn't fair."

But isn't it?

Let's look at the parable Jesus shared.  Read Matthew 20:1 - 16.  To paraphrase what happened.  So an owner of a vineyard needed help for just one day.  He goes out at 6 am and finds men to work.  He promises them money for their work.  They are to work all day.  He sets them to work.  He then goes back out around lunchtime and finds more men to work.  He promises them the same amount of money as the first group and they are to work the remainder of the day.  He sets them to work alongside the men who got there at 6 am.  He then goes back out close to quitting time and finds even more men to work.  He promises even them the same amount of money as the first two groups and they are to only work for the next hour.  He sets them to work alongside all the other men.  When it comes time to quit the job for the day, he pays them all the same.  Obviously the men who had been there the longest worked more,  but were paid exactly the same as the ones who had only worked for an hour.  And yes, obviously they felt they deserved more.  But isn't the money the landowner's and didn't he have the right to decide what to do with it? 

The parable tells us at the beginning that "The kindgom of heaven is like the person who owned the land."  And you know what?  God is the owner of that land.  He sent His son, Jesus to gather us as His workers in the field.  Some of us were called at 6 am (or early in life) while some of us are called close to quitting time.  Our pay is eternal life in heaven. 

This is the part that hit me when I was studying for this lesson.  You see, back in 1996, my uncle was murdered.  He was a good man in the wrong place at the wrong time.  He couldn't hear very well, and had been hired to paint the interior of a new huge home.  The owner of this new home was a well known doctor who collected rare guns and artifacts.  Someone broke into this new home while my uncle was there painting.  He didn't hear the burgular come in till it was too late.  What does this have to do with the lesson?  Well, it hit me.  This guy that murdered my uncle, he could be one of those called close to quitting time by God.  His pay is the same as mine.  We will both be paid with eternal life in heaven.  Did you see that coming?  How many of your enemies on earth will walk beside you in Heaven because they were called close to quitting time?  Doesn't seem fair does it?  I mean, here I am......someone that tries to live my life making choices God would be pleased with.  Since I can remember, I have been in church.  I have always tried to live right by God.  I was called at 6 am to work.  I know my pay is coming, but really, I get the same pay as the man who committed murder if he accepts God?  YES!  Doesn't seem fair but honestly, if we got what was fair, NO ONE WOULD GO TO HEAVEN!!!!!  Is it fair of us to claim we are workers for God, yet we just sit in a pew every Sunday?  Is it fair of us to claim we talk to God but really the only time we ever talk to Him is on Sunday or when we need something?  Really.....are we deserving of the pay we are promised?  Thankfully, God loves me even though I am the one being unfair.

Romans 3:23....."All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God!" 

Meaning?  In God's eyes, all of us are sinners.  All of us make mistakes and no mistake, though we tend to rate them on Earth, is bigger than the next in God's eyes.  I am so thankful that God is a forgiving God.  I have so much that I don't deserve and I know I owe it all to Him.  He blesses all of us with so much each day.  We often take those blessings for granted.  God gives us blessings because He loves us and cares for us......EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US!  We are ALL loved the same. 

I personally know people, ones I have begged to come to church, that say, "I have done so many bad things in my life."  Guess what?!!!  It doesn't matter!  We have ALL sinned!  Their sins are no different than mine.  Do not let your mistakes fall on an earthly rating scale.  Allow your mistakes to fall on a Heavenly rating scale!  Mistakes all weigh the same!  God still takes me in day after day, month after month, and minute after minute though my life is not perfect.  He loves me through every mistake I make and teaches me valuable lessons in life.  Don't wait till quitting time to accept God's calling.....you will miss the blessings of an earthly life with God by your side.  I consider that a BONUS on my paycheck!  Don't you?

The Question Isn't: "Where Were You?" It is...."Where Will You Be?"

Brother Edd Deaton shared a wonderful message this morning.  In the shadows of the 10 year anniversary of the falling of heroes in this United States of America, Sparta Baptist gathered together for a moment of silence and then took a step out of our sheltered box to look at where our country is headed.  Many would say that our country has found power and strength, that we are finally united as we should be.  But are we where we should be?  Brother Deaton took us into the book of Isaiah. 

We will focus on Isaiah 1:18 - 31.  I encourage you to dig out that Bible and read the scriptures.  And as you read them I want you to take out the word "Jerusalem" and substitute it with the "United States of America".  Wow!  As tragedies occur all around us, we often hear people question God.  "Why did God let this happen and to so many good people?"  Sadly it isn't God's choice to let this happen.  We cause much of this ourselves.  Look at how times have changed.  Look at what is acceptable now compared to what was acceptable 100 years ago.  So much bad is now just accepted as part of being free in this country of ours.  God gives us warning to not be polluted by such foolishness.  United States is further away from God than we have ever been.  As I watch the specials and memorials for 9/11 victims I see people holding hands and crying together and comforting each other, yet I wonder how many of them have cried out to God.  How many have accepted Him because they saw no other way out of their misery?  How many now thank God for thier lives and blessings with their waking breath?  How many made that promise to never take anything for granted, not even their salvation?

Are we fooling ourselves to believe this country is heading in the right direction?  Our society has killed our spirt.  No longer do women teach their children right from wrong nor do we see kids respecting their parents or elders.  We no longer have schools or political systems built on God and His laws.  Prayer has been swiped from our children.  Unless a child attends church he/she is most likely not exposed to God in any way.  And even then, some of our churches have become too politically correct that we are scared to speak God's warnings and laws.  What are we doing?  Read the scripture!  We are turning our backs on God.

You know the song, "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning".  Everyone that lived that day can tell you where they were and what they were doing.  It is forever sketched into our memories and will be until the day we no longer take breath.  But really it isn't about where you "were", it is really where you will "be" that is important!  Where will you be when the world changes back to the way God expects it to be?  Where will you be when teachers unite together and say, "This isn't right to tell me I can't teach about God or say God or even pray to God and we won't stand for it anymore"?  Where will you be when our judges unite together and say, "I can't worry anymore about hurting your feelings or embarrassing you....you did the crime and you will pay the consequence."  Where will you be when everyone around you stops thinking selfishly and agrees to help their neighbor in need?  Where will you be when it becomes the norm to walk outside and be rushed by a group of people caring about witnessing to you?  When our kids' role models stop parading around town like fools in little to no clothing?  When television becomes wholesome and shows Christians how to be Christians instead of polluting our minds with filth?  When you can turn on the radio and finally hear a song that hit number 1 on the charts and it doesn't have a single curse word in it or talk about sex, drugs, or violence but instead talks about one's walk with God?  Imagine living in God's United States of America.  It seems so far away from reality because we have just become so immune to the filth around us.

God is asking and begging for a change in our world.  We aren't "one nation under God" anymore.  We are "one nation in need of God"!  And we are fooling ourselves into believing that if we stand united we can overpower anyone.  And, unless we are united and following God with our actions we not going to overpower anyone but ourselves.

Where will you be when all Christians stand together to fight for what our country SHOULD be built on?
The sacrifice has already been made and we must not forget.  They laid the path, sadly many of us refused to walk the right path and have chosen the path where our pride has wedged itself between us and God.

Our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones that day and days since due to the horrible conditions they had to face.  The world has not stopped and we must move forward.  Our hearts now, more than ever, need to be set on changing our country into a country and world that God is proud of.  And where will you be when that happens?

A Lesson For My Heart

I usually post about the message given in church on Sunday morning but this morning I have been led to do something different.  This morning my devotional spoke right to me and my heart.  This past week has been a difficult one for me.  It seems to be true what they say, "When it rains, it pours."  It has been one problem right after another this past week for me.  I have cried a lot.  Early in the week, I found myself saying, "When you get closer to God, Satan gets closer to you....this is just Satan trying to beat on you."  I convinced myself everything was going to work out because I am a child of God.  Then Saturday rolls around and I have a health scare.  Right now, as I type, it is still unknown what is wrong with me.  The scariest part is the unknown.  What will be done?  What will the outcome be?  Is it fixable?  Is it life threatening?  All these thoughts staring me in the face as I type right now.  Satan again, sitting in my head laughing at me for being scared.  He thinks he has won.....He is mistaken.  I opened my bible this morning to do a daily devotion and prayed that God speak to me.  Guess what?!  He did.

I am a believer that God speaks to me through the great Book!  I often in times of question, just let my Bible fall open and believe God will show me answers on the page it opens to.  This morning, my Bible opened up to a special devotional page titled: "FEAR"!  Wow!  When He speaks, He speaks!  It wasn't too long ago that my husband and I walked through a storm of fear.  In a past post, I shared the devotional message God gave to me then about being on the anvil and that my faith had been restored when God took care of that situation.  I still believe He gave us that situation to help us through other trials......um....like the one I am now facing.  Sometimes we don't understand why we go through trials in our lives but I can tell you that it is so you can face other trials with more faith than you had in the last trial.  Each time you face trials in your life, your faith builds and begin to realize you can depend on God to carry you through every storm.  I want to share word for word what my Bible gave me this morning.  This comes from the Max Lucado Devotional Bible.

It says:
"Faith is often the child of fear.  Fear propelled Peter out of the boat.  He'd ridden these waves before.  He knew what these storms could do.  He'd heard the stories.  He'd seen the wreckage.  He knew the widos.  He knew the storm could kill.  And he wanted out....  Look into his eyes tonight and see fear - a suffocating heart racing fear of a man who has no way out.  But out of this fear would be born an act of faith, for faith is often the child of fear.  If Peter had seen Jesus walking on the water during a calm peaceful day, do you think that he would have walked out to him?  Nor do I.  Had the lake been carpet smooth and the journey pleasant do you think that Peter would have begged Jesus to take him on a stroll across the top of the water?  Doubtful.  But give a man a choice between sure death and a crazy chance, and he'll take the chance....every time.  Great acts of faith are seldom born out of calm calculation.  It wasn't logic that caused Moses to raise his staff on the bank of the Red Sea.  It wasn't medical research that convinced Naaman to dip seven times in the river.  It wasn't common sense that caused Paul to abandon the Law ans embrace grace.  And it wasn't a confident committee that prayed in a small room in Jerusalem for Peter's release from prison.  It was a fearful, desperate, band of backed-into-a-corner believers.  It was a church with no options.  A congregation of have nots pleading for help.  And never were they stronger.  At the beginning of every act of faith, there is often a seed of fear."

God is speaking to me it seems, almost all the time.  My faith in Him will not be shaken.  I know that whatever comes my way, He will use this to build me up and make me stronger for my next little storm.  This is not going to be the last and I know that.  Walking beside God will not always be a smooth road.  Without rocks and roadblocks along the way, I would probably be walking the path alone but I realize that God is there walking beside me.  If I walk out ahead of Him, I will stumble and get hurt.  If I walk beside Him He is there to save me and help me across these hurdles in the way.  I can't do this alone.  He has to carry me and He will as long as I am willing to crawl up into His arms.  I have to trust He knows what He is doing.  He counted these tears and knew this day before I was born.  He knows the outcome.  I just have to trust and have faith in my God. 

I know I am not alone.  Many people out there are facing trials too.  I pray that you are comforted by the words I found this morning in my devotion.  I often can feel God cradling me when I need that comfort.  I can hear Him saying, "Fear not my child.  I am with you.  I will take care of it."  It gives me peace to know that my God is so awesome that He does teach me faith through my little storms of life.  What has He taught you?  Think about it. 

Humble Yourself, Pray, Seek, and Ask

Our message this week was a special one with celebrating our 130th year as Sparta Baptist Church.  The message fit perfectly as we reflect on the years past we also reflect on the four pillars of being a Christian.  Our message comes from:

2 Chronicles 7:14

King James Version (KJV)

 ¹⁴If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

There are 4 main things we must safeguard as Christians in this scripture. 
1.) Humility
2.) Pray
3.) Seek
4.) Ask

Let's begin with humility.  Why is it so difficult for people to humble themselves?  We all battle this even though we KNOW that Satan uses our pride agaist us.  Satan knows he has you when your pride gets between you and the Lord.  If you have read this blog before you have already read about the importance of doing things for the glory of God alone and not for the glory of yourself.  If you are there doing a service only so people will glorify you, then you are in trouble.  How many real blessings has God sent your way but you missed because of your pride?  How many times have you robbed ourself the grace and blessings of God because you are too worried about what people think of you?  It is time to humble yourself before God and do things for the right reasons.  I encourage you to read James 4:10. 

Next, lets talk about something Christians don't do enough of......and that is.....Talk to God!  Think about this...Do you answer God as quick as you answer your cell phone when it goes off?  Do you talk to God as much as you should?  We are told to pray without ceasing.  That means continuously talking to God because He is there every minute of every single day and night.  Why wouldn't we talk to Him?  It is like a marriage or relationship where you are giving your partner the silent treatment.  Think of how God must feel to be ignored.  Do you like to be ignored?  Would you like it very much if God decided to ignore you when you needed Him?  We should never ignore God and pretend He isn't there.  Pray without ceasing!  I encourage you to read John 14:13, Ephesians 6:18, and 1 Thesalonians 5:17.

Seek!  How often do we judge ourselves as being weak if we are Christians?  Have you ever really just sat and thought about what people think of Christians?  They see us as being weak and push overs.  Being a Christian does not mean we tuck our tails between our legs and become a whimp.  We are to stand up for what we believe in.  We are to boldly seek His face and His will for us.  And here is something to think about:  If you are married how often do you seek your spouse's attention and approval?  Most likely more than you seek out God's attention and approval!  We are to look to God for everything.  Read Psalms 27:8.

Lastly, Ask for Forgiveness!  We are ALL sinners.  We have to daily repent our failures.  We hide too much behind our pride somtimes to ask for forgiveness.  Sin is like a cancer that eats away your life.  You can't do anything on the outside of the world till you take care of your own heart!  We keep no secrets from God.  It is impossible to do so.  Everything we do is clear and lies open before him, and to him we must explain the way we have lived.  Read Hebrews 4:13.  It is important for us to understand that confession is simply agreeing with God that our acts were wrong.  I think so many times people are scared to tell God what they did but really we have it all wrong.....He already knows what we did.  Read Nehemiah 15:9.

2 Chronicles 7:14 tells us that these 4 things are important in the Christian walk.  He will hear us only if we do these 4 acts together.  It is also important to remind those we witness to that no sin is too big to forgive.  I think sometimes people who have never stepped inside a church feel they could never step into a church because their sins are just too big and there are so many but we have to let them know He does forgive and He throws our sins as far as the East is from the West.  We can no longer allow ourselves and others to hide behind their pride.  It is time to get things right.  God WANTS to forgive your sinful deeds and thoughts through His grace.  When we fall, we can dismiss it, deny it, distort it, or we can deal with it.  God wants us to deal with it.  Humble yourself, pray, seek God's will instead of your own, and ask for forgiveness!

I Know Who You Are On Sunday....But Who Are You Every Other Day?

Our message today comes from Matthew 4:18 - 19.
¹⁸And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
 ¹⁹And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

How does this scripture relate to me?  I don't know much about fishing except for the fact that it is absolutely disgusting to bait a hook!  The only memory I have of fishing is the time spent with my grandfather out in a barren cow pasture.  I couldn't bait the hook....but grandpa did it for me.  However; if you thought this scripture was about fishing you are mistaken!

Peter and Andrew were fishing because that was their everyday job.  It was how they put food on the table for their families.  Today's message is about where you are on Monday through Saturday.  Anyone that goes to church with you knows who you are on Sunday.  Most know what you do Monday through Saturday.  But do they see the same person on Monday through Saturday as they see on Sunday?  As Jesus walked by the sea and saw Peter and Andrew fishing there, he called to them saying, "Come and follow me.  I will make you fishers of men." 

I don't know about you, but in our economy I care about my job and keeping my job.  In my line of work, as a public school teacher, I battle this every day.  It is sad that I have to tiptoe around with what I say when talking about my Faith.  So this is a tough one for me.  I would love to be able to just come out and teach my students like I do my Sunday School Class.  I would love to share Jesus with them, but by law, I am forbidden.  I pray that God takes hold of our schools every night so that I am more free to do that.  I am not alone.  There are many other jobs out there where our hands are tied.  I have to be creative in the ways I share my faith.  I do it through love and my actions with my students.  I am not quiet about my life outside of school.  I try to be a good role-model and teach good morals and values to my kids.  Those same morals and values I expect my own daughter to have as she grows up in today's world.  But just like Peter and Andrew, God has called me to cast out my net.  He has called me to be fishers of men.  It is no coincidence that I am a teacher.  It is no coincidence that we have so many good Christians as teachers.  God knows what He is doing.  God placed us there for a reason.  God also placed you in your job too for a reason.

Maybe you are to encounter a lost soul God intends for you to help.  Maybe you are there because you are a peacemaker and you are surrounded by people who are not.  Look around you.  Tomorrow, when you go to work, step back and think about why God put you there.  Do you realize how important your outside life is to your ministry?  How many of us go to bed one person on Sunday night and wake up a totally different person on Monday morning?  God knew you before you were born.  He knows every hair on your head.  He placed you in your job.  He knows why he placed you there.  What are you chasing?  Are you chasing the American dollar or the glory of God?  Be who God wants you to be at all hours of every single day no matter where you are.

Peter and Andrew gained the practice of gathering fish.  God used their job to train them for His glory.  Their everyday practice of catching fish prepared them to gather men together and share the Gospel with them.  What is your physical job preparing you for?  Why did God put you there? 

It is so easy to just say you are a Christian, punch in your clock on Sunday, go home and then get into the groove of 9 to 5 everyday only to do the cycle over again.  But how often do we minister outside the church?  We typically just walk by, in our daily lives and we turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the problems around us.  Oh, but then on Sunday, we sit in our pews and sing our songs and listen to our preacher.  12:00 noon, watches are going off...time to go home!  Punch out!  See you next Sunday! 

Think about this.....how many "Workaholics" do you know?  How many people are giving so much time to their job that their family time and God time suffers?  I know of a lot of fellow teachers, me included, work in the school on Saturdays and Sundays just to make their lessons perfect and their classrooms ready.  At what cost?  Our family, time spent with God, maybe even church.  Now what if only 1/2 the people in the world worked as hard at ministering as they do in their physical jobs?  Instead of being "workaholics" we should be "Godaholics", "Witnessaholics", and "Ministeraholics"!  Our complete effort should be spend on working non-stop for Him and His glory.  Do you work as hard with your personal walk with God as you do your physical everyday job?  Remember, God put you there in that job for a reason.  It isn't time to forget God, it is a time to use what you learn in church on Sundays for His glory! 

If God brought you to it, He'll see you through it.  Do you just punch in on Sunday morning only to punch out at noon?  Or do you allow God to punch in with you everyday of the week and work alongside you? 

Here is your invitation from God:

YOU HAVE BEEN INVITED TO BE A FISHER OF MEN

Who:  YOU

Where:  EVERYWHERE YOU GO

What:  MINISTER TO OTHERS THROUGH WORDS AND ACTIONS

When:  NOW!!!!

Why:  WHEN THOSE WHO ARE CALLED TO FISH, FISH THEY FLOURISH AND GOD CALLED YOU TO DO SO!!!!

Tomorrow when you clock in, look around you.  Are you missing the opportunity to bait your hook or are you waiting for someone else to do it for you?  Did you purposely leave God at home or did He help you clock in?  Cast out your net everywhere you go and be a fisher of men! 

Are You Willing To Step Out Of The Boat?

Our message today comes from Matthew 14: 26 - 31.
²⁶And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
 ²⁷But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
 ²⁸And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
 ²⁹And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
 ³⁰But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
 ³¹And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Most people have heard this story of Jesus walking on the water.  Many relate it to miracles of Jesus but there is so much more to this scripture than just the miracles Jesus performed.  It is about stepping out of the boat on FAITH.  If we are ever going to act on our full potential as Christians we must get out of the boat.  Many are scared to even get into the boat let alone step out of the boat.  Jesus told Peter to "Come and step out of the boat."  Peter knew the water was beneath him.  He knew he would need to take a leap of faith to step onto the water with Jesus.  Imagine the thoughts that probably went through his head before stepping onto the water.  He stepped out and for a moment walked on the water with Jesus, but the minute he let his FEAR get the best of him, he began to sink. 

FEAR can help us grow but FEAR can also cripple us.  You either have FEAR WITH FAITH or you have FEAR WITHOUT FAITH.  Fear WITH Faith is good.  People that possess Fear With Faith act on their callings.  People that possess Fear Without Faith are the ones that sit in the boat all their lives.  How many of us are sitting in the boat and just watching the others step out of the boat?  A lot of people who attend church are doing just that.  They are afraid to step up because something requires too much responsibility or time or they are afraid of what others will say to them.  OR they are afraid they will be asked to do even more?!  Many church going people think and act in this way...."No, pastor, I think today I am going to just sit in this boat where I am comfortable and let everyone else step out.  I'm too tired.  I'm too old.  I'm too young.  I'm not good at this or that.  But, pastor, when Jesus returns, I'll be ready." 

LISTEN.....Do you really think God is going to notice you if you are just sitting in the boat?  He will come for those with FAITH.  You are either WITH Him or AGAINST Him.  Where are you?  Are you sitting in the boat letting everyone else do the work YOU are being called to do?  Are you scared like Peter was to step out.  Jesus said, "DO NOT BE AFRAID."  Look at the scripture again.  What happened when Peter began to sink?  He called out, "Save me."  Jesus didn't just let him drown.  Jesus grabbed him and helped him. 

We are seeing churches fall and sink because people are just sitting in the boat afraid to step out.  Noah never told God, "You got the wrong man."  Noah "got out of the boat" in a sense.  He took a leap of faith.  He listened to God's commands and acted on them.  If you are struggling with a decision to serve, God is telling you to "Come" just as Jesus said to Peter.  It isn't what you've got, it is what He will give you.  What exactly have we to fear (except answering to God)?  STEP OUT of the BOAT!

You either have to step out of the boat or we will just be another church.  Your church can not grow and DO WHAT GOD WANTS IT TO DO if all the member lazily just sit in the boat.  Don't put it off another day.  God has a plan for you.  No excuses will be accepted. 

Great is the reward for those that step out of the boat.  This week I encourage you to look up and study the following scriptures.  Genesis 15:1, Matthew 5:12, Matthew 6:1 - 2, Revelation 20:11, Romans 14:10, 2 Corinthians 5:10.  Please, I urge you....if God has spoken to you, don't just sit there!  Get out of the boat and serve!

How to Grow

We want to welcome Brother Edd Deaton and his family to our church family.  Brother Edd has officially taken the job of shepherd in our church.  We thank God for this man being given to us.  We know great things are happening before our very eyes and are overflowing with excitement to see what God has in store for us!  This past Sunday Edd shared a sermon on tithing.  However; it wasn't what you think.

When you want your love for someone to grow, or a relationship to grow, what kinds of things do you do?  You most likely said, "Sacrifice".  You have a beautiful child to raise...what do you do to help them grow?  You sacrifice and become selfless.  Can you buy love?  We all know the answer to that question is no.  When you want your marriage to grow, do you do it with money?  Do you just toss out 100$ here and 100$ there and expect your spouse to love you more because of it?  No, to truly allow your relationship to grow you make sacrifices for that person.  You stop being so selfish and you give a little more.  You give of yourself, your time, your efforts, etc...  Have you ever stopped to think about growing your relationship with God or growing as a church even?  What do we automatically think of when we shift our minds to growing a church?  That's right.....money.  But God doesn't want our money.....he wants our sacrifice.  Just like we sacrifice for our children, He sacrificed for us.  He gave more than we could ever give our children.  He gave His only son to die on the cross to save us from our sins.  It hurts God to see us so unappreciative of His sacrifice.  If we want our churches to grow, we must sacrifice more than money.  We must sacrifice our time, efforts, wisdom and talents.  We must give our ALL!  If God has your heart, He has your wallet.  So many churches fall into that money trap but we mustn't.  We must give of our hearts and minds.  Those are the real tithes God expects from us. 

In Mark 12:42 we read about the widow woman who had very little to give.  In fact she had, to her name, only 1/2 a penny.  She had no food, no husband to take care of her, no one, yet she gave all she had.  Yet, the richest of rich dumped loads of money into the offering plate.  Jesus stood up and said that the widower had given more than anyone else there.  When she dropped that small offering into that plate, she was offering so much more than 1/2 cent.  She was demonstrating her trust in the Lord.  She had faith that He would take care of her.  As He promises to do.  Do you think it was easy for her to give all she had?  Most likely, no.  It won't be an easy road for anyone that makes sacrifices for God because that is the very thing that feeds Satan.  He preys on people who give their ALL.  This doesn't give you the excuse though to just sit around and let a few people do all the work either.  God doesn't just call a few of us, He is calling ALL of us.  We are all expecting to get into the same wonderful Heaven therefore we are all expected to tithe what we have for the honor of God. 

We don't all have the same wisdom and talents.  Some of us are called to pray, some are called to sing, some are called to guide and teach, some are called to witness, some are called to love and listen.  Your job is to listen to what God calls you to do and then give your ALL in that area.  A chain isn't a chain with just one link.  We all have to do what we are called to do with 100% effort and sacrifice in order to grow as a church.  We are to work as a team together in order to grow.  It is like a college basketball game.  The biggest game or our lives!  We will never grow to our full protential if some of our teammates just want to sit on the bench.  You want the church to grow, you must be willing to work.  Remember this:  NO ONE is EVER called to be a PEW WARMER!  Help us grow.  Pray to God that He let's you know what your calling is.  Once you discover that, give 100% to it!  That IS what we are told to do....."Deny thyself, pick up your cross, and follow me."  This is the Final Four people.  We must work to win (grow).  It isn't time to sit on the bench....it's time to shine.  The "head" of the NBA is watching this game!  I'd hate to see you LOOKED OVER or TRADED to that "other" team!

So What's Your Story?

This post today, brings you a devotion I keep marked in my Bible.  I am going to share with you the actual devotional as it is written in my Bible, but I am also going to share with you WHY I keep it marked for easy reference.  The title of this post is "So What's Your Story?"  This is my story. 

I grew up in church.  My family attended every Sunday they could.  I was involved in GA's, Acteens, Children's Choir, Youth Group, Sunday School, and basically anything I could get my hands on within my church.  I became a Christian in 1987.  Easter Sunday to be exact.  I was 12.  I continued my church attendance when I went to college in 1994.  I attended Campbellsville University and was an active member in their Baptist Student Union.  I lead the Acteen's group at my church in Campbellsville and was even a camp counselor at GA/Acteen Camp in 1996.  In all those years of service though, I didn't have a story.  I went, one summer, with the Baptist Student Union to Panama City Beach, Florida to witness to others in a program called Beach Reach.  All my fellow sudents and friends had testimonies to share but I felt very uncomfortable with the idea of sharing my testimony because I didn't have any major hurts or disappointments in my life to share.  I felt I didn't have a story to tell.  I didn't have a testimony.

Fast forward a few years and you find I got married in 1998 to my first husband.  Yes, the first chapter in my story......I was previously married.  Made a promise before God and broke it 4 years later.  I felt ashamed and unworthy of God's love or forgiveness.  I mean, afterall, in my mind divorce was not acceptable to God and I quit going to church on a regular basis.  That is until, he got my attention with a bi-polar boyfriend that was somewhat mentally and verbally abusive.  I needed out and the only way I knew to get out was to turn to God.  I returned to church and began working with the preschool aged children.  Soon after, I met my now husband.  It is truly amazing how God gives us gifts.  Did I feel I deserved such a wonderful man or a second chance at love....NO....but He was giving it to me anyway.

That gift God gave me became officially mine in 2006 when we married.  Here comes chapter 2 of my story....we decided to build a house.  We went with a reputable builder.  We moved in January 2008.  The Monday after we moved in, we got a lien notice on our home.  I called our builder and was informed that his company had gone bankrupt.  I was devastated.  He had cashed the last check I had written but couldn't afford to pay all the companies that contributed materials for our home.  When talking to the companies that had liens on our property (yes, there was more than one) they told us that there were about 12 other families in our same situation with our builder.  This was the most devastating time in our lives.  We didn't know what to do or where to go.  We pressed felony charges immediately but our lives hung in the balance.  The time between filing charges and getting news from our attourney was almost unbearable.  I missed a lot of work due to depression and it was on one of those days God spoke to me.

I was flipping through channels and stumbled across The Church Channel.  There it was!  Something caught my eye!  A preacher (don't know his name) was standing there next to a framed building.  He was talking about God being the foundation of your life.  He said, "If God is not your foundation, your house will fall in."  I ran and got paper and pencil and started jotting down everything I could.  At some point, I heard God telling me to write these verses and statements on the basement walls.  I proceeded to go to the basement with pencil in hand and wrote on our foundational walls.  Everytime I finished one verse or prayer, I would pray and then move over a few feet and write another one.  This continued until I was surrounded by verses and prayers on all 4 of our home's foundational walls. 

It was that day, I handed everything over to God.  I had come to peace about it.  It was March by the time our courtdate rolled around.  We went into court not knowing the outcome but believing that God would take care of it.  Our builder's attorney walks over and hands us a list of all companies that contributed to building our home with reciepts that they had all been taken care of.  We walked out of that courtroom with a new faith.  What strengthened it even more was when I called the lien companies to inquire about when they planned to lift the liens, I discovered we were the ONLY ones out of 12 taken care of. 

Now, when I need to witness to others or someone is feeling like their faith is gone, I take them to my basement.  I show them and tell them what God did for us.  That's my story. 

One of the other things I did while in my state of depression was to read my Devotional Bible.  One particular devotion spoke to me and I keep it marked as a reminder of that trial time.  It is a reminder to me to have faith in all I do.

*Taken from On the Anvil by Max Lucado:
On God's anvil.  Perhaps you've been there.  Melted down.  Formless.  Undone.  I know. I've been on it.  It's rough.  It's a spiritual slump, a famine.  The fire goes out.  Although the fire may flame for a moment, it soon disappears.  We drift downward.  Downward into the foggy valley of question, the misty lowland of discouragement.....Passion?  It slips out the door.  Enthusiasm? Are you kidding?  Anvil time....Pound, Pound, Pound.  I hope you're not on the anvil.  (Unless you need to be and if so, I hope you are.)  Anvil time is not to be avoided; it's to be experienced....To escape it could be to escape God.  God sees our life from beginning to end.  He may lead us through a storm at age thirty so we can endure a hurricane at age sixty.  An instrument is useful only if it's in the right shape.  A dull ax or a bent screwdriver needs attention, and so do we.  A good blacksmith keeps his tools in shape.  So does God.  Should God place you on his anvil, be thankful.  It means he thinks you're still worth reshaping!

Powerful.  You see, that experience my husband and I went through deepened our Faith in God.  He put us through that storm to strengthen us.  We know that to be a Christian, we have not seen the last of our trials.  None of us have perfect lives where nothing goes wrong.  The secret is, to have Faith that God will take care of you and that He knows what is best for you.  We were blessed soon after our courtdate with the pregnancy of our precious daughter.  God allows storms to happen for several reasons.  He allowed the storm to happen to us not only to build up our Faith in Him.....but He gave us a story we can share with others!  That testimony I never had, came from that storm.  So now I ask you, what's your story?  Share it with someone today!  If you don't have one, you will.  Allow God to be your weatherman and you will come out of the storm stronger than you were when you went in.  Allow God to shapen you so that you can be a tool in His field!

Who Are You?

Bro. Ed Deaton, yet again, shared a wonderful message with the members of Sparta Baptist Church.  Each week, we are blessed by what God lays on his heart.  If you are looking for a place to land and call home, please consider visiting Sparta Baptist Church.  I am sure you will feel as blessed as we all do, to be listening to God's word spoken through someone as fluent as Bro. Ed.

Our message for this post comes from James 1:1.
¹James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

This may not sound like much of a passage to use in gathering life information but if we look deeply, we find it.  Do you know who James was?  It says above in the verse that James was a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.  But that wasn't all.  Do you know who James was?  You may not since James obviously didn't brag about who he was in the passage above.  Never did James brag about who he was but he certainly could have.  If we were in James' shoes, we would have.  James was Jesus' half brother.

You know, when people ask me where I live.  I don't tell them that I live in a county between Cincinnati and Louisville.  I tell them that I live in the same county as the Kentucky Speedway.  Why?  Because they are bragging rights and maybe, just maybe someone will say, "Oh, I have been there!"  Do you think if you ran into a famous person's long lost 15th cousin they would simply tell you their name?  No, they would say, "My name is so and so and I am so and so's 15th cousin."  James certainly could have bragged about who he was, but he didn't.  It didn't matter to him.  He cared more about spreading the word of the Lord than who he was.  He thought of himself as a servant to his very own half brother.   He wanted us to know he viewed himself as a servant. 

The number one thing killing America is our pride.  We are too proud to do anything the Lord wants us to do.  Think about this....who are we serving?  Are we serving ourselves?  Are we spending enough time serving the Lord?  You have 30 minutes before bed.  You have a choice to either watch your favorite show on telivision or spend time reading your Bible.  What do we choose 99% of the time?  Yep, you guessed it, the television because we are too busy serving ourselves to serve the Lord.  You know what is going to happen?  The Lord is going to look down at America for such pride.  Where will you be when He returns?  Will you be glued to the television or will your nose be stuck in the Good Book? 

What is a good servant?  The definition could be confusing and possibly leave room for argument.  Some may view servanthood as a 5 minutes a day thing while others view it as an every minute of every day thing.  If you think about a waiter or waitress in a restaraunt it can help with understanding the definition of a servant.  When you go to a restaraunt, do you want to sit at a table where the waitress gives you 5 minutes of service or would you rather sit at a table where the waitress waits on you the entire duration you are there?  Most likely you wouldn't tip the first waitress!  Now, what sort of tip would the Lord give you for your service? 

How can I be a good servant?  The Bible says, "Deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow me."  Wait, wait, wait.....what was that first part again?  "DENY YOURSELF".  That means get rid of your pride and selfishness!  To be a good servant you must, labor for someone else, care enough about something to pick up and take care of it, spend quality time in prayer (remember, God will help you discover what he wants you to do), associate yourself with good people, music and books, and seek opportunities to witness/tell others about His love.  However; be careful and choose your path wisely.  Don't fall into the trap of wanting things in return for your services either!  God loves a cheerful giver.  You must serve without thinking you will get something in return!

A lot of people are scared to serve or feel they aren't qualified to serve.  We all need to realize that we all have the same mercy upon us as the preachers, deacons and EVEN the apostles in the Bible!  You are never too old to serve the Lord.  Your retirement begins the time the Lord takes you home.  Stop being a servant of the world and become a servant of the Lord.  Your tip depends on it!  You have a choice.....no tip at all and spend an eternity in Hell or the best tip ever offered.....an eternity in Heaven.  What kind of tip will the Lord give to you for your service?

Does Your Tree Bear Fruit?

Bro. Ed Deaton delivered another wonderful sermon Sunday on Matthew 21: 17 - 19.  Let us start this journey through these verses by discussing our need to read the Bible.  Did you know that about 75% of the church body today doesn't read the Bible more than 5 minutes a week?  And we wonder what is wrong with our world today.....it's like anything else that breaks....read the owner's manual!  Something we don't do with life today.  Our owner's manuals sit by our beds and collect dust.  Some of us don't even have one and we just go through life trying to patch everything ourselves.  What is wrong with us?  Why can't we see how badly we need to rely on God's word?  Now that we know that statistic, perhaps you want to now pick that Bible up, blow the dust off, and begin reading it....but not so fast!  There are a few things all of us should understand about this owner's manual.....there are 4 different ways in which to read it.  The first is to read it word for word physically.  The second is to read it with an understanding of the historical side of it so that you can understand why things occur in the Bible as they do.  The third is to read it prophetically and to look to it to make decisions and solve problems in our lives.  The fourth is to read it spiritually and to be able to read a verse and understand how it was meant to be read.  This particular message from Bro. Deaton did just that! 

If you (physically) read Matthew 21:17 - 19 you will read this...
¹⁷And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.
 ¹⁸Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
 ¹⁹And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

But let's read this now spiritually....
Let's say that Bethany is representing Heaven.  We know that God the Father is there.  Just as you and I hunger for food throughout each day, God is also hungry.  God is not hungry for food, but hungry for us to accept Him, to be spreading His word and doing good works in His name. 

Now, physically the verse says "And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it."  The fig tree represents "us".  When those Eastern skies split and the Father returns, you will either walk with God or go to Hell.  He is coming back....that is guaranteed.  No man knows when the Lord will return.  Not even the Lord himself.  But again, it is a GUARANTEE that He is coming back for his church. 

The next part of the verse is the most profound...physically it says, "and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away."  He found nothing on that tree but leaves.  From a distance that fig tree was lush and green.  It looked good but it didn't bear fruit.  What good is a fig tree if it bears no fruit?  What good are we if we also bear no fruit?  But read on...."Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever.  And presently the fig tree withered away."  Wow....what does that say to us?  We pray he finds something more on us than just leaves.  It is one thing to do good things but unless you believe in Christ and work for His glory, we are only lush green trees without fruit.  We see this every day.  Look at some churches.  On the outside, they look big and lush.  They have all the physical things any church would want, cushions in every pew, paved parking lots, ornate architecture...and the list goes on and on...but where is their fruit?  Today, too many mortal men stand where God himself should be.  If we are going to be a non-bearing tree we will wither away. 

What does it take to bear fruit?  A lot of people claim they just don't have the time to plant the seeds and tend to their own trees.  There won't be time to change your mind when those eastern skies part and Lord returns.  We believe, as humans, we have all the time in the world.....we live in the "someday" era.  But we MUST make the time, because though we don't know exactly when He will return for us, we know He will.  It could be in the next 5 minutes, 5 days, 5 years, 5 decades....but He is coming and your time is now.  Let's say, you have a new neighbor.  You peer daily over into their yard.  "Sure, I should really go and invite them to church.  I should witness to them and share God's love with them.  But this week is too busy for me.  I'll do it someday soon."  Someday.  The enemy of risky love is a snake whose tongue has mastered the talk of deception.  "Someday" he hisses.  Then we try to make ourselves feel better (here comes that "lushness" we have been talking about)...."I'll just pray for them or add them to our prayer list at church."  But you know the truth don't you .  Some days never come.  There is always something else around the corner to do. 

The rewards of risky love, though, are greater than the time it took.  Go to the effort.  Invest the time.  Write a note, bake cookies, call them, knock on their door, invite them over to dinner, take every opportunity to reach them for His kingdom.  The seized opportunity renders joy.  The neglected brings regret.  What will you say when you are standing next to the Lord on judgement day?  What will you say when He looks you in eye as He turns that neighbor away?   Along with every other person, you promised "someday" to?  Your time is now.  Win someone to Christ.  Begin to bear fruit on your tree.  

I am He.....

We are so thankful to have been blessed these past 2 Sundays with God's word spoken through Ed Deaton.  Brother Ed Deaton, from Grant County, has been spreading God's awesome word over the ears of Sparta Baptist Church.  He and his wife have been a blessing to our church family.  We also are very thankful that God is moving in our church.  We had several new faces in the congregation today and pray they will return again. 

The Lord's presence can be felt the minute you stick your big toe through the doors of our humble church building.  You know that feeling you get when you enter an air conditioned building on a really hot and scorching day?  That is the feeling you get when you walk through the doors of Sparta Baptist Church.  Like the cool air from air conditioning surrounds you and envelopes you with a refreshment, God's presence immediately surrounds you and envelopes you the minute you walk through the doors.  There are no words to say, yet God still hears my heart and knows my thoughts. 

If you have missed the past two sermons, you missed a revival of hearts!  I will allow God's message to be spread through my fingertips as it was given by Brother Ed Deaton.

"I AM HE"
Those very words are spoken and recorded 23 times in the gospel of John alone.  7 of those 23 times the words "I am He..." are connected to life lessons and metaphors.

We will go through them.
Lesson 1:  John 6:35 says:
³⁵And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (KJV)

Hunger is very natural.  We have it several times a day.  When we are hungry we eat.  I read a church sign recently that said, "If you don't have the bread of life, you are toast."  God should be your bread of life.  He should give you the same satisfaction that food does.  Food alone cures our hunger pangs.  God alone is all we need.  To be hungry in spirit is to be lost and searching, wondering, full of worry....God says plainly, "I am the bread of life; HE THAT COMETH TO ME SHALL NEVER HUNGER!  If you have God, your search is over.  Your hunger pangs are gone.  There is no hunger for anything.  Becoming a Christian is not a death sentence, it is a life sentence. 

Lesson 2:  John 8:12 says:
¹²Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

What things can you do perfectly in the dark?  Why was electricity invented if the dark was so great?  We need light to see things clearly and not stumble or trip.  The word is clear, "I am the light of the world, he that followeth me SHALL NOT WALK IN DARKNESS.  Without light, we stumble and trip, mess up because we can't see what we are doing.  Simple day to day tasks are so much easier to do with light to see by is it not?  Without Christ though, we are in the dark.  We stumble, trip and mess up everything simply because we have no light which to see by.  God's light allows us to see our messy lives and clean them up.  If you truly know the light of the world, you are never in darkness.

Lesson 3: John 10:9 says:
⁹I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

The only way to be saved is to accept God into your heart.  Step through that door and enter his kingdom.  Once you are there, you are always there.  You can't get to Heaven any other way.  Good things on Earth alone can not get you into Heaven.  God is looking for those people willing to step through the door.  You can save an entire bus of people from crashing into the river.  The only reward you will get is recognition here on Earth and your name in the paper.  It won't get you into Heaven.  The only way to be saved is to walk through the door and accept God into your heart. 

There are 3 evident truths you can spot in a lost man's heart.  They are 1.) selfishness and pleasure seeking, 2.) denial in Christ and servanthood, and 3.) a focus on worldly possessions and things. 

There are 3 evident truths you can spot in a saved man's heart.  They are 1.) law of God is evident and written on his heart and in his actions, 2.) heart is set on serving the Lord, and 3.) sole purpose in life is to help others find the Lord without hinderence.

Your heart changes the minute you walk through that door.  HE is the only way in.  Your heart's focus changes from those evidences of a lost man's heart to those of a saved man's heart.

Lesson 4: John 10: 11 - 14 says:
¹¹I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
 ¹²But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
 ¹³The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
 ¹⁴I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

I don't know of any shepherds personally.  It is no longer an occupation most people choose to do.  To understand this scripture and the metaphor behind it you must understand what a shepherd's job is.  A shepherd watches over his sheep like a mother watches over her newborn child.  They are the sheep's protection.  They would lay down their own lives for the safety of their sheep.  Look at what the scripture is saying......"I am the good shepherd."  God did that very thing for you.  He knows you need protection each and every second of every single day.  He is there watching you and protecting you.  He gave his life for you just as the shepherd would give his life for his sheep.  We are his sheep.  He loves us that much that he gave his life for us.  He paid the price so we wouldn't have to.  Each sheep is important to the shepherd.  There is not one sheep more important than another.  All are loved and needed.  If you are lost it's okay, but do something about it.  Your heart is as important to God as anyone else's heart is.  There is no heart more deserving or worthy than yours.  God truly is the good shepherd.

Lesson 5:  John 11:25 says:
²⁵Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

This scripture is saying to you, "It doesn't matter what you have done in life, the Lord knows your heart already.  Do not be ashamed of your heart or the choices you have made." Those choices made you a dead soul but with God, you are made new.  The shame goes away.  You have that chance to change your life and turn it around.  It is NEVER too late!  Satan does his best to convince people every day that there is no hope for them and it is too late.  It is NEVER too late to accept Christ.  There is NEVER a sin too big that God can not forgive.  God is the only way to having a new life.

Lesson 6:  John 14:6 says:
⁶Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

You can try to do things your way, but you will fail.  You can not succeed in this life without God.  There is NO other way to have eternal life or get to Heaven than through God.  You have to understand that God's way is the only way, his word is the truth, and he is the reason you have life.  Without those understandings you are lost.  You can claim to be a Christian, pray every day, and read your Bible, but until your heart and mind are truly with God, you are still a lost soul.

Lesson 7:  John 15:1 says:
¹ “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

Every fall, we prune our rose bushes.  Why?  So that the next year they will bloom more abuntantly.  You are a vine that God is pruning each and every day.  Why?  So that each and every moment of your life you can live it more abundantly.  We are to bare fruit in our everyday lives.  We are to share the word of God daily as Christians and sow the seed so others too can bare fruit.  Our priority in life should be to have a burden for the lost man.  Plant the seed in those that are lost.  Teach them to allow God to prune their branches so that they too can bare fruit and sow seeds.  That is our job here on Earth, to spread God's word.  We are all here to do the same job.  It is not left up to the preacher or Sunday school teacher.  It is up to all of us.  It was not a suggestion to pick up thy cross and follow Christ, it was a command. 

Where is your heart?  Is God your bread of life or do you hunger?  Is God your light in a dark room, or are you sitting alone in the dark searching for answers?  Have you entered God's door or are you hesitant to knock?  Are you allowing God to be your shepherd or are you a rebellious and stubborn sheep?  Do you understand that God is your resurrection and only way to a new life or are you still trying to solve all your problems on your own?  Are you following God's way, using the Bible as your truth, and living your life like Christ?  Are you a vine hindered by weeds and need a little pruning?  Let God in.  God wants you.  He loves you.  If you are lost and know you need God, now is the time.  It is NEVER to late!  He is the only way.  Please come visit us at Sparta Baptist Church.  He is here.  You can feel him.  You will never be the same!

Is He Pleased With Your Image?

Today we had guest pastor, Brother Perry Spaulding visiting our church.  He shared a simple message about our images.  Today's message came from Colossians. 

Brother Spaulding's message revolved around one quote that he referred to frequently...."God said it, that settles it."  Whether you believe it or not, if God said it, that is the end of discussion.  There is no, "what if's or buts" when dealing with what God tells us.  Do people see you as a person who always follows God's commands or do they see you following them only on Sunday, or do they see you not following them at all? 

Our image is what the world sees.  Do people look at you and say, "That person is like a flooding river ready to burst out of its banks and spread the good word" or do they look at you and say, "That person is like a stagnant pool of water, never going anywhere or doing anything"? 

Satan wants people to see the church as dying.  Looking around at what is acceptible in today's society, you can see that less and less people are working for the glory of God.  Christians need to STAND UP TOGETHER NOW and share God's word!

Think of this.....what happens as rushing flood waters sweep across the land with force?  It collects debris and things along the way.  It sweeps things up and they join in the rush.  This is the way a christian should be living their life.  They should be out there, unashamed to show their love of the Lord, ready to spread the good word with others all the time, hearts bursting with excitement, picking up people along the way and sweeping them into the arms of our loving Father. 

Our Christian life should not be like a stagnant pool of water.  Stagnant is defined as being a body of water with no current or flow and often having an unpleasant smell as a cosequence.  The only thing a stagnant pool of water attracts is mosquitoes!  If we want to win people to Christ, we must be like flood waters bursting through the flood gates! 

Mark 16:15 (King James Version)

 ¹⁵And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

GOD SAID IT, THAT SETTLES IT!

We are commanded by God to be like those floodwaters and preach the gospel to every creature. 

Our image we portray to others is our biggest testimony we have of our faith!  So I ask you, what do others see in you?  Does your image win people to Christ or push them away?  Or is your image and Christian walk "stagnant"?  Does your image show people you put God first in your life or is Satan controlling your desires?  Become those rushing floodwaters!  Share His love and your faith with someone today! Pray that God helps you to constantly have the mind of Christ and the desire to display a Christlike image!

Learn to Pray

This week's sermon at Sparta Baptist was one all Christians need to hear frequently.  Visiting pastor, Jason Holbrook shared another wonderful sermon.  This one dealt with prayer.  Though we understand that we should pray, we don't always do it.  Some of us do it, but not correctly.  Here is an overview of his wonderful message! 

Jeremiah 33:3 (King James Version)

 ³Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Do we pray the way God expects us to?  We teach prayer but struggle to give the Lord the time he deserves in prayer.

Prayer shouldn't be rushed.  Do you rush prayer because your favorite television show is coming on or you have to get dinner on the table or the yard mowed?  If you are rushing your prayer time, you are failing to see the power of God in your life. 

Brother Holbrook shared the best analogy: "Prayer is like fuel for your car.  You might have the most desired car on the planet, but without gas it isn't going anywhere.  The same is for prayer.  You may be a Christian but your Christian life and walk is going nowhere without your fuel.....prayer!"

Maybe you are reading this and are thinking to yourself, "I do pray."  The question is do you pray the way God wants you to?  Is your heart and mind in the right place when you enter into your prayer time?

Prayer is:
1.) Talking to God
2.) Humbling Yourself Before God (God already knows your every need, but he wants you to take the time and humble yourself before him and ask for it.  Ask.....Seek......Knock).
3.) Heartfelt Conversation (words flow from your heart, not from a book or memorized verse).

Prayer is NOT:
1.) A Proud Show
2.) Vain Repetitions (those prayers you say just to be saying them.....the ones you learned as a kid and just say because they sound good.)
3.) Proud Attitude/Spirit

So where does your prayer life fall?  Are you truly sitting with the Lord and enjoying his presence?  There are some things that can "hinder" your prayer life.
1.) Lack of Faith/Doubting God's power
2.) Unconfessed Sin
3.) Discord in the Marriage
4.) Greed
5.) Pride
6.) Jealousy
7.) Anger
8.) Gossip

Let's take a look at how the Lord says we should pray.  The answer is found in Luke 11:1-4.

Luke 11:1-4 (King James Version)

 ¹And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
 ²And he said unto them, When ye pray, say,
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
 ³Give us day by day our daily bread.
 ⁴And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.


We have heard this prayer before but do we understand it?  In fact, this may be one of those memorized prayers you say just to be saying it.  You won't see God's power until you pray it with your heart and truly mean what you say. 

"Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."  This is simply saying, "Lord, I respect you.  I am calling out your name."

"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth."  "I understand that your will is what is best, and I am giving you total control. I trust you Lord."

"Give us day by day our daily bread."  "Make requests for your needs even though he already knows them......remember above.....he wants us to humble ourselves before him and ask."

"And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us."  "Forgive me Lord for my sins, and help me to forgive those that have hurt me just like you willingly forgive me."

"And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil."  "Lord help me in my daily walk to not be tempted by sin.  Guide me to say and do the things I should.  Keep evil thoughts and actions away from me."

This is what God expects from us through our daily prayer time. 
"Respect His name, ask for His will to be done, make requests for your needs, ask for forgiveness, and ask for guidance and protection."

God rewards those who SEEK Him.  The reward goes to those who settle for nothing less than Jesus himself.  As Max Lucado says:  "Don't be satisfied with angels.  Don't be content with stars in the sky.  Seek him out as the shepherds did.  Long for him as Simeaon did.  Worship him as the wise men did.  Do as John and Andrew did, ask for his address.  Do as Matthew, invite Jesus into your house.  Imitate Zaccheaus.  Risk whatever it takes to see Christ."  The reward:  To be more like Christ.  No guilt, no bad habits, no fear of death. 

He loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way.  He wants you to be just like Jesus.  The only way you can truly seek God is through prayer.  Check your prayer life.  Is it where it should be?

We Stand Up For Jesus

The struggles Sparta Baptist Church has experienced are not over entirely but faith we will conquer is abundant.  Visiting pastor, Jason Holbrook, shared a very powerful and encouraging sermon Sunday that helped the members of our humble church feel confident that what happened was God's will.  He reminded us that God has not been blind to everything going on but has been there watching.  His eyes have been on our church from the beginning and we often forget, in times of trouble, that he DOES see and hear everything.  Brother Holbrook reminded us that this is a time to dig deep into our foundations of our church.  He shared foundations a church should be built on and they are the very foundations Sparta Baptist Church was originally built on.

*The First Foundation:
The first foundation our church was/is built on is God's word.  Sparta Baptist Church makes no apologies for believing in the foundations our church was originally built on.  We believe the Bible is worth fighting for and worth defending.  We believe that in order to defend God's word we must know God's word.  It's not enough to just own a Bible.  You must study it.  Therefore; we have brought back regular Sunday School so that we can fellowhsip and study God's words as the Bible tells us to do with other believers.  All are welcome to join us for Sunday School from 9:30 - 10:30 each Sunday.  We have something for everyone.

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

 ¹⁵Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

*The Second Foundation:
The second foundation our church was/is built on is His plan of Salvation.  Have you ever wondered why there was so much "red tape" to go through to become a Christian or become saved or even join a new church?  We at Sparta Baptist Church believe Salvation is simple.  We believe Salvation is as simple as truly believing God sent his Son to die on the cross to save us from our sins and that you just accept him into your life.  We believe that baptism is a public profession of your faith, but you are saved the minute you believe and accept.  This is according to God's word.

John 3:16 (KJV)

 ¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The Third Foundation:
Our third foundation the church was/is built on is Respect.  We believe that as Christians, we have to have respect for each other, respect for the church itself, and respect for God's presence.  We believe the church is a place of peace and comfort, not confusion and anger.  We believe church is a place to worship and spend time with the Lord.  It is not a place to build yourself up by what you do in the church.  The services you perform within the church should be only for the Glory of God and not for your own self-recognition.  Satan can often present a "gift" of pride for those that do a lot in a church.  Once pride enters your heart, respect for the Lord leaves.  You then work harder on perfecting your ego instead of perfecting your heart.  We believe it is up to us to keep respect for where we are and why we do what we do. 

Respect is listening to God's word without interruption or distractions.  Respect is keeping other worldly thoughts at bay during the study of God's word.  Respect is teaching our children to have the same respect God expects from us. 

The Fourth Foundation:
Our fourth foundation the church was/is built on is Faith.  We believe that without Faith it is absolutely impossible to please the Lord.  Faith is what pulls you through in difficult times.  He expects us to rely solely on Him for everything and in order to do that, one must have Faith.  The Lord reveals himself when we have Faith in Him.

Deuteronomy 32:20 (KJV)

 ²⁰And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.

When a church body goes through the trials that Sparta Baptist Church has gone through, Satan muddies the truth even more and fills the mind with doubts.  It is very difficult to have Faith that you made the best choices throughout the storm.  Sunday's sermon and study of scripture helped us at Sparta Baptist Church have the Faith that the Lord pulled us through this His way.  Our Faith can not be shaken.  It is an exciting time for our church.  We are digging down to our roots and remembering the foundations of our church. 

We pray the Lord sends us a true man of God that believes in following God's word as it is written and can believe in our church's foundations, to be our pastor.

Matthew 16:18 (KJV)

 ¹⁸And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

If you are looking for a church, please don't let Satan convince you that Sparta Baptist's circumstances are too big for you.  You might just miss an opportunity to be truly touched by His grace!  All members of our church would agree, that the Lord's presence is felt more now than ever.  We are truly excited about our church's future.  Please come out and be a part of it!  Experience the Lord's presence for yourself.  Join us next Sunday at Sparta Baptist Church!